Adding a 2nd Tang

[Platehead]

Considering adding a purple tang to my 120 reef. Currently I have a Chevron that's been in the tank for about 5 months. Is this a bad idea, due to similar body shapes?

 

[Jim Tansey]

I added a Powder Blue in with my Hippo, the Powder Blue drove him nuts he went from always being out to hiding in the rocks all day he would jet out to grab some food and go back to hiding. I lost my Powder Blue in the process of changing my tank over the Hippo is back to his old self, not missing the PB at all.

Jim

 

[choff]

I have a purple (zebrasoma), Kole (ctenochaetus) and a naso (naso) tang that all get along in a 150.

I've read you have a greater chance of success of keeping tangs of different genus. The other typical ones being Acanthurus (powders) and Paracanthurus (hippos) along with the 3 I listed above.

Your chevron is a ctenochaetus like my Kole so you have a fair shot at success, of course with all fish there are tons of exceptions. It's also good you are putting the purple in second as they tend to be more territorial and would have most likely had a much harder time if the order was reversed.

 

[William]

I won't speak to adding a purple after a chevron but will tell you that adding a purple after a yellow( both zebrasomas) was a mistake I made. I have a hippo, sailfin, and one spot foxface in my 150 and they get along well for the most part.

You might want to try an acclimation box and see how they act toward one another. A lot of people take out the established tang and change the rock work and then add both tangs at the same time.

 

[mpsteve]

I have only owned 1 purple tang. I don't get where they get there bad rep from. Mine follows my malenarus wrasse all over. Doesn't bother any other fish.

 

[phg1960]

This is a great time to re-landscape the tank. Doing so helps the territorial fights that can arise. Even moving just a few key ones can help. Especially the ones where your chevron tends to hang out now.